


unsettled nighttime creatures

by nowayout



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Depression, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Suicidal Thoughts, the badwrong kind of h/c because theo is theo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 22:58:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4455761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nowayout/pseuds/nowayout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His body is so focused on soothing the pain caused by the burn marks, all of his senses clouded due to the effort the healing requires, that he doesn’t notice Theo sitting on the front steps of his house until he’s only a few feet away. </p><p> </p><p>(Post-"A Novel Approach", pre-"Required Reading")</p>
            </blockquote>





	unsettled nighttime creatures

**Author's Note:**

> Because something had to have happened between 5x05 and 5x06 for Scott to suddenly trust Theo so disturbingly much.  
> Title from "Shadow Preachers" by Zella Day.

 

His body is so focused on soothing the pain caused by the burn marks, all of his senses clouded due to the effort the healing requires, that he doesn’t notice Theo sitting on the front steps of his house until he’s only a few feet away. There’s a tentative smile on his lips but it quickly disappears as he looks Scott up and down, and a frown makes its way onto his face.

 

Scott shakes his head before Theo can ask the question that’s still painfully easy to read in his eyes. “Let’s go inside,” he says, a little disgusted by how weary and pathetic he sounds, but now that he’s made sure Kira is safe in her bedroom with her parents looking after her and knows that Stiles is driving Lydia home, he feels he can allow himself to stop pretending that he isn’t exhausted to the bone.

 

His mom is working the nightshift again and he couldn’t be more grateful for it this time. He doesn’t want her to see him like this, burnt clothes and burnt flesh that is taking too long to heal. He’s weak. He’s been so weak lately and it’s only getting worse and he can’t tell anyone, can’t let them know, can’t burden them with his problems, can’t be that selfish. He can’t.

 

Theo follows him to the kitchen without saying a word. But his heart is beating so, _so_ fast and that’s just as bad. Scott almost whimpers. He doesn’t want anyone else to start worrying about him.

 

“Want something to drink?” he asks, trying his hardest to inject at least a bit of cheerfulness in his voice. Theo’s a guest, technically, so Scott reminds himself that he has to be polite even if he feels like a piece of dried chewing gum stuck on a shoe sole. He’s pretty sure there’s some orange juice in the fridge.

 

“Um, no.” Theo’s brows are still furrowed. “Scott, why are you offering me drinks when you’re – ”

 

But whatever he is, Scott doesn’t find out because Theo stops talking abruptly, his eyes fixed on where Scott knows the burn marks are still visible, on his cheek, along his jawline, down his neck. He doesn’t think they look as bad as they did half an hour ago, but Theo’s eyes are wide and his hand trembles when he puts it on Scott’s shoulder and Scott tries to stop thinking altogether.

 

“Scott, what happened?” Theo asks, sounding so worried that Scott’s heart clenches with guilt and shame. “Did they find you? Did they do this to you?”

 

There is no reason why he shouldn’t tell Theo what happened at Eichen House. Not really. Even though Stiles probably wouldn’t want him to. Stiles’ made it pretty clear that he doesn’t trust Theo, but Scott could count on one hand the people Stiles trusts and still have fingers left, so that’s not saying much. And the truth is Theo hasn’t done anything yet, and Scott has seen his eyes when he turns and they don’t glow blue, so Theo can’t be – he _isn’t_ –

 

And Scott is so tired of having to keep all these secrets to himself.

 

So he tells Theo everything, what they learned about the Doctors and the book, about what Kira did – or didn’t do, he doesn’t know, and that scares him and he saw it scared her too. Theo listens patiently, gently rubbing Scott’s shoulder in a way that feels comforting and encouraging all at once and reminds Scott of people who used to love him. People he lost because he didn’t protect them the way he should have.

 

His hands are shaking by the time he’s finished talking, his lips keep moving but there are no words coming out, and every exhale tastes like fear and despair. He doesn’t want to lose anyone else, he wants to keep all of them safe.

 

It feels like it’s already too late for that.

 

“Scott, hey,” Theo begins softly, helping Scott stand up from where he’s sitting slumped in one of the wooden chairs. “Go lie down for a minute, okay? You’re weak, and that’s completely normal after what happened tonight, but you need to rest. You need to get your strength back or you won’t heal. Go lie down and I’ll make you something to eat.”

 

Scott starts to shake his head immediately. He doesn’t want Theo to feel bad for him or to think that he needs to be taken care of like this. He’s fine, he really is. Just – a little worn out.

 

“Scott, listen to me,” Theo insists with tender hands on the small of Scott’s back. “I want to do this, okay? I want to help you. You need this, Scott. You know you do.”

 

With a defeated sigh, Scott lets Theo give him one last gentle push towards the living room and lies down heavily on the old couch that smells of butter popcorn and his best friend’s body wash. His chest hurts like it hasn’t in almost two years and breathing suddenly takes too much effort, so he closes his eyes and hopes it’ll go away soon. This. Everything. He hopes it will end. He wants it all to end.

 

When he feels the tears start to gather he opens his eyes and shakes his head frantically, because the last time he cried like this she was dying in his arms and he doesn’t want to remember that as well, but the memories are already there, coming back harsh and unforgiving. He wonders if he shouldn’t have let Stiles’s words change his mind when he was holding the road flare in his hand, ready to end it all. Wonders if this is what it feels like to surrender. To give up. He wonders if he’s giving up. If he should have done it back then.

 

It wouldn’t be that bad now, he thinks. He wouldn’t even be alone. He would be with her.

 

A loud clank makes him jump, Theo’s sheepish _sorry_ reminding him where he is, making him realize what he was thinking, and once again he’s overwhelmed with shame. He can’t just – he can’t. He has his mom and Stiles and Kira and Liam, he can’t –

 

He couldn’t do that to them.

 

He watches Theo put the pasta pot back where it had fallen from, moving awkwardly around the kitchen until he figures out where everything is. He watches him become more relaxed as the minutes tick by, smells the hint of pride that clings to Theo and follows him into the living room when he brings Scott a hot cup of tea and a grilled cheese sandwich.

 

Theo sits next to him while he eats, talking animatedly about how glad he is to be back in Beacon Hills, but Scott can hear the way his heart rate spikes every now and then. It’s not that he’s lying, he’s just trying a little too hard to distract Scott, and –

 

Scott appreciates it, but he doesn’t want that. Doesn’t want Theo to be careful around him. He isn’t made of glass and neither are his feelings. And even if he were, he’s used to having everything shatter around him.

 

It hits him suddenly, as he listen to Theo say that he’s thinking about trying out for lacrosse, that he doesn’t even know why Theo came here in the first place. And that’s when the panic sets in, because what if something happened –

 

But no, Theo would have told him by now. He would have said something, he –

 

“Scott, what’s wrong?”

 

Theo’s looking at him with concern written all over his face and it feels like a punch in the gut. Scott wants to tell him to stop, he doesn’t – doesn’t deserve that. Doesn’t deserve another person who worries about him when he’s fine, he’s _fine_ , he is. He takes a deep breath and forces his nervous heart to calm down already, _everything’s fine_.

 

“I just – I don’t know why you’re here,” he says but instantly realizes that might have come across as rude, so he shakes his head and tries again with a smile. “I mean, did something happen? Did you want to talk to me about something?”

 

Theo opens his mouth like he’s about to start speaking, green eyes widening just a fraction, and Scott automatically panics again. He can’t help it. But then Theo gives him a comforting smile and, shrugging, says, “Nothing that can’t wait.”

 

Scott thinks he’s two seconds away from throwing up. “Theo – ”

 

“Scott, it’s nothing, believe me.” Theo laughs, light and untroubled, and the hand he places on Scott’s knee feels like an anchor that keeps Scott from floating away and losing himself completely.

 

It’s – unexpected, Scott thinks to himself. But not unwelcome and somehow that’s even weirder.

 

“Actually, I just wanted to ask if you need me to read the book too, just in case,” Theo explains.

 

Scott shakes his head quickly. “No, you – you don’t have to. I mean, who knows what we’ll remember, right?” Nothing good, he’s sure about that. These are their lives now. “You shouldn’t have to go through that, we’ll – we’ll do it, it’s fine.”

 

For the third time that night, Theo frowns at him in a mix of confusion and worry that fills Scott’s stomach with guilt. “Scott,” Theo begins, his voice firm, “you don’t want me to read it because of what I could remember?” He looks straight into Scott’s eyes, doesn’t even blink. “Are you trying to protect me?”

 

Scott shrugs. He supposes he is. That’s what he’s always trying to do, isn’t it? He just – doesn’t succeed sometimes. Often. Too often.

 

Letting out a deep sigh, Theo shifts closer to Scott on the couch. He nudges Scott’s shoulder with his own, the gesture playful and unassuming, but the smile he flashes this time is broken, a tragic grimace that Scott can’t help feeling responsible for. He’s sorry. He’s so sorry.

 

“Scott, it’s not your job to be everyone’s emotional crutch,” Theo says, gentle but determined, as though Scott should know that by now, but he’s wrong, he’s so wrong, because it _is_ Scott’s job. It’s his fault everyone he loves has to face supernatural horrors day after day, the least he can do is support them, make sure they’re okay, let them lean on him. He won’t break. He can’t. He’s not allowed to.

 

“I don’t – ” he tries but his voice trembles, giving away – something, everything, he doesn’t know.

 

He can barely breathe, choking on guilt and regret and unspoken words. His whole body is turning on him, every limb hurts and the skin on his neck feels on fire, and he can’t burn again, he can’t, he needs the pain to stop –

 

And then, somehow, it does.

 

It happens slowly and he feels it, feels the pain leaving his body like dirty water flowing down the drain. He doesn’t understand what’s going on until he looks down and sees Theo’s fingers wrapped around his own, sees the black veins slithering under Theo’s skin like tiny dangerous snakes. He tries to pull his hand away but Theo tightens his grip.

 

“It’s okay, Scott,” he says and doesn’t let go. “I’m making it better. You know I am.”

 

And Scott does. He knows Theo is right. So he stops trying to fight it and lets Theo take away the pain and the shame and everything that’s poisoning him from the inside. He stays still and remembers doing this for a blue-eyed boy who never hesitated to risk his life for Scott, remembers him lying in a hospital bed, his face burnt just like Scott’s own is now, remembers relieving his pain. Remembers losing him as well.

 

He doesn’t want to cry but there isn’t much he can do about the tears rolling down his cheeks, and Theo doesn’t say anything, doesn’t judge him, doesn’t make him feel bad about it. He wraps an arm around Scott, pulls him even closer, and keeps holding his hand.

 

And Scott breathes. He just breathes until it doesn’t hurt anymore.

 

He falls asleep with his head on Theo’s shoulder and Theo’s fingers trailing over his tear-stained cheeks.


End file.
